starry

starry — adjective

1. (of the sky or night) filled with many stars that are bright and clearly visible

1.形容詞A2
釋義

(of the sky or night) filled with many stars that are bright and clearly visible in the darkness.

例句

The children slept outside under a beautiful starry sky.

collocation: starry sky

On a clear starry night, Sayaka could see the Milky Way from her window.

collocation: starry night

同義詞
  • starlit

    emphasises that the scene is lit by stars; more poetic and slightly narrower in use

  • star-studded

    can describe a sky full of stars, but much more common in figurative use for celebrity events

反義詞
  • cloudy

    describes a sky where clouds hide the stars

  • overcast

    describes a sky fully covered by clouds with no stars visible

文法句型

starry + noun (night/sky)

be + starry (predicative)

用法筆記

Most commonly used to describe the sky or the night as a whole. Frequently appears in descriptive or poetic writing about the outdoors.

常見錯誤

❌There were many starries in the sky.
✅The sky was starry.
💡'starry' is an adjective, not a noun; do not use it as a countable noun to mean 'stars.'

2. (disapproving) behaving as if you deserve the special attention, privileges, and

2.形容詞C1
釋義

(disapproving) behaving as if you deserve the special attention, privileges, and luxurious treatment that famous people receive, often in a way that annoys others.

例句

The producer refused to work with actors who had a starry attitude on set.

collocation: starry attitude

Chidi could not stand the singer's starry demands for a private jet and five-star hotels.

collocation: starry demands

同義詞
  • diva-like

    more direct and commonly used in entertainment contexts; can be used both attributively and predicatively

  • pretentious

    broader in meaning — refers to anyone trying to appear more important than they are, not only entertainment figures

反義詞
  • humble

    describes someone who does not think they deserve special treatment

  • modest

    describes someone who does not show off or demand privileges

文法句型

starry + noun (attitude/demands/behaviour)

starry + noun (expectations/ways)

用法筆記

Almost always used before a noun (attributive position). Carries a clear negative judgement — describes someone who is demanding beyond what is reasonable. More common in British English than American English.

常見錯誤

❌She is very starry today.
✅She has a starry attitude.
💡This sense is attributive only; 'starry' does not work as a predicative adjective with this meaning.

3. having the shape of a star, or shining and sparkling in a way that looks like a

3.形容詞B2
釋義

having the shape of a star, or shining and sparkling in a way that looks like a star.

例句

Élise wore a pair of starry earrings that caught the light as she moved.

The starry pattern on the ceiling made the children's bedroom feel magical.

collocation: starry pattern

同義詞
  • star-shaped

    only refers to shape, not sparkle; less poetic than 'starry'

  • sparkling

    emphasises the light-catching quality rather than the star-like shape

  • twinkling

    suggests intermittent flashes of light, like stars in the sky

文法句型

starry + noun (pattern/earrings/eyes)

be + starry (predicative)

用法筆記

Can describe both literal star-shaped objects (earrings, sprinkles, patterns) and figurative sparkling brightness (eyes, reflections). The figurative use ('starry eyes') overlaps with the separate compound adjective 'starry-eyed,' which carries a more specific meaning of naively optimistic.

常見錯誤

❌The sky was starry with diamonds.
✅The starry surface of the lake reflected the lights.
💡Avoid using 'starry' to describe objects that are simply decorated with small star symbols; use 'star-shaped' or 'star-patterned' instead for purely decorative contexts.